Probe

ABSTRACT

A device for penetrating the earth to locate buried matter, such as a pipe line, and the like, consisting of a plurality of connecting sections terminating at one end in a handle and at the other end having a spherical member of greater outside diameter than the outside diameter of the respective sections.

United States Patent [21] App1.No.: 108,414

[52] US. Cl ..l75/l9, 175/320 Int. Cl. ..E2lb 11/00 Field of Search ..175/62, 19, 394, 320; 173/164,

Voelkerding ..175/19 Englebright et a1. ..175/62 Lesher 1 Mar. 27, 1973 54'] PROBE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor: Goodwin Lesher, 115 Same 603,444 4/1960 Italy "fins is 1 Houston, 928,256 3 1955 Germany ..175 19 221 Filed: 166.21, 1971 Primary Examiner-David H. Brown Assistant ExaminerRichard E. Favreau Attorney-Ranseler O. Wyatt ABSTRACT 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PROBE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A probe having aplurality of connecting sections, a handle at one end of said joined sections and a penetrating member at the other end of greater cross sectional diameter than the cross sectional diameter of the connected sections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of the device in penetrating position in the earth, showing a cross section of the handle at its connection to the body of the probe.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the device in penetrating position in the earth, showing the respective sections in joined relation.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the penetrating tip, and

FIG. 4 is a modified form of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a section of rod, having a portion of one end thereof circumferentially reduced, as at 2, and externally threaded, forming a connection to be received by the internally threaded socket 3 in the connecting member 4 of the handle 5. The other end of the section has an internally threaded socket 6 to receive the externally threaded shaft 2 of the next section 7. As many sections as desired may be added, with the last section 8 having one end formed with the ball 9 welded, or other wise secured, thereto, and the ball 9 being of a greater circumference than the circumference of the shaft 8. Transverse passageways ll, 11 are provided adjacent each end of each section, which receives a pin or nail to provide gripping means for tightening and loosening said joints. 1

When it is desired to probe the earth to determine the exact location of a buried object, such as a pipe line the handle 5 is mounted on the threaded shaft 2 of the section 8, and downward pressure exerted on the handle 5, and the ball 9 will penetrate the earth formation, forming a hole larger than the outside diameter of the section 8. If greater length is desired, to acquire a probe of greater depth,additional'sections as 7 are added to the section 8, by removing the handle from the section 8, adding another section, or-sections, and joining the handle to the extended end of the last section to be added.

As the probe is thrust into the earth, the formation of the hole having a greater diameter than that of the sections, will permit friction free penetration of the joined sections.

In the form shown in FIG. 4, a pointed tip 10 is used to replace the ball 9. This may be used in such earth formations as sand and the like, to eliminate the danger of diverting the downward thrust of the probe upon encountering a pebble or the like, in the path of the thrust. With the pointed tip, the movement through the earth where such obstacles are present will be better controlled.

What I claim is: l. a probe, a plurality of sections of rod, one end of each section bein externally reduced and threaded,a handle adapted to e mounted on said end of said rod,

ference than the circumference of said rod, said sections of rod being provided with the passageways adjacent each'end thereof to receive a pin for gripping purposes in making and breaking the respective joints.

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1. A PROBE, A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS OF ROD, ONE END OF EACH SECTION BEING EXTERNALLY REDUCED AND THREADED,A HANDLE ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON SAID END OF SAID ROD, SAID HANDLE HAVING A SOCKET, AND A REDUCED CHAMBER IN SAID SOCKET IN WHICH THE THREADED END OF SAID ROD IS RECEIVED, THE OTHER END OF SAID ROD HAVING THE INTERNALLY THREADED SOCKET TO RECEIVE THE THREADED END OF ANOTHER SECTION OF ROD, ONE SECTION OF SAID ROD FORMING THE BOTTOM SECTION HAVING A SPHERICAL TIP OF GREATER CIRCUMFERENCE THAN THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID ROD, SAID SECTIONS OF ROD BEING PROVIDED WITH THE PASSAGEWAYS ADJACENT EACH END THEREOF TO RECEIVE A PIN FOR GRIPPING PURPOSES IN MAKING AND BREAKING THE RESPECTIVE JOINTS. 